Quick Take

Democrats tried but failed to expand Medicare coverage to include dental benefits in the Build Back Better bill. Yet a Facebook post tells seniors they have until Jan. 31 to apply for “free dental work” under a recently announced Medicare “stimulus.” There is no such program, and Medicare doesn’t cover dental work except in rare circumstances.

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Medicare covers many medical procedures, but dental work, except in rare cases, is not among them.

Democrats wanted to include dental, hearing and vision coverage in an expansion of Medicare as part of the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. But it was among the elements opposed by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who, along with Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, blocked passage of the legislation.

Still, a Facebook post — which includes a video that has been viewed 1.3 million times — falsely claims that President Joe Biden has announced “Medicare stimulus that provides free dental work to all Seniors who need it!”

The post by a Facebook page called Latest Medicare says crowns and implants are included and that seniors have until Jan. 31 to enroll.

But there is no such program or enrollment period, a spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, told us in an email.

“By law, Medicare cannot cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices,” the spokesperson for the federal agency said.

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Read Full Story: https://www.factcheck.org/2022/01/viral-post-makes-false-claim-about-medicare...